Thoughts on blogger guilt

Pinch me, please. Why did the weather gods have the brilliant [irony alert] idea of playing catch-up on winter just in time for my birthday?? If I could I’d remove all therometres around me only so I wouldn’t have to face the facts: – 11.5 °C/11 °F?! Frosty the Snowman might be the only one to rejoice …

Speaking of catch-up in terms of blogging … speaking of guilt …

[Just to say it right away: What I’m about isn’t supposed to be a rant. It’s just what’s been going through my mind and maybe one or the other can relate?]

Like I’ve mentioned before my internet access or the time I get to use it has been cut down majorly since moving back in with my parents. No access at work and a restricted time at home haven’t allowed me as much time to blog as I used to have. Nonetheless, blogging has become an integral part of my life I don’t want to miss anymore. The friendships, the support, the inspiration … it’s marvelous. Just ask my mum how excited I get about meeting blends, connecting with all of you online, taking pictures and writing posts :D. By now my whole family has understood that blogging is way more than just another hobby to me.

Only there’s a fact that every blogger will agree with [and Amanda put very wisely]: it’s a hobby that can easily take up hours every day. Fun time for the most part because that’s what blogging is. The ‘trouble’ for me right now was that I wanted to both read and comment on others blogs as well as write posts on here. However – and maybe it’s just because I’m still so bad at time management ;)? – I quickly noticed that I wasn’t able to read and comment on as many blogs as before anymore. And I also noticed I probably won’t be able to post on all days I usually do every week under the current circumstances. Though – trust me – I’d happily do! [Side note: Honestly, how can our office not have WLAN? Don’t you agree a little bit of blog reading in between working makes you more productive, too 😉 ?]

But then it deemed to me: Do I stop reading a blog just because the blogger alternates the days they blog on or doesn’t find the time to comment on my blog as regularly anymore? No. If I like the way they write I will come back no matter what just because I can relate to them, we have things in common, share an opinion on a topic, … Looking at my [non-]resolutions again helped to ease my mind, too: Just live. Life is everchanging. We can’t predict what the circumstances on any day[s] of our lives will look like.

Especially talking to some blends and excusing for my lack of commenting on their blogs lately made me realize that nobody is mad at me for taking some more time to repy to mails or not comment on their blog because I haven’t found the time. It’s just me setting those expectations [and wanting to comment and let you know I’m reading because I still do]. So what is this post all about? It’s about a realization I made to relax. Maybe some of you can relate and if not I hope you don’t mind my rambly explanation.

So in case I’ve been reading and commenting on your blog regularly before and haven’t lately: please know that I’m still reading. And you’d better believe I’ll be back once I get full internet permission [yes, it feels a little weird to talk about it] again 🙂 .

Happy Monday!

Happiness inducing today: Starting my day with a great relaxing workout at the gym.

Have you ever struggled with trying to fulfill expectations that [you assumed] others had?

Bloggers: Do you feel obliged to stick to a certain schedule with your posts [i.e.: days to post on, a certain number of recipe posts, …] or did you do in the past?

How do you manage your blogging time in terms of writing posts and commenting?I’d appreciate any advice because I’m sure there’s a better way of time management.

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37 thoughts on “Thoughts on blogger guilt”

I do it when I feel like it. Nobody’s going to be mad if I had an unremarkable day, and forcing myself to find something to write about doesn’t always result in the most interesting post in the world! I guess I’m just Cartman, I do what I want.

I know EXACTLY how you’re feeling. Blogging takes so much longer than people think and I have to be really careful with how I partition my time when it comes to writing posts/photography/recipe creation along with commenting and interacting with other blogs.

I’ve actually talked to Kyle about it on numerous occasions, and we both decided that it’s worth spending extra time in because it’s something I enjoy so, so much and it helps me relax! I’ve had to delete some blogs that I just don’t feel like I connect with anymore to help clear out my overflowing Bloglovin’ (seeing over 100 unread posts really stressed me out haha!), but I think I’m starting to find a better balance between my real life and blog life.

Thanks, Christine! It’s really not as quick as sit down – write post in a matter of minutes – publish [which I think my dad assumes it had to be]. Not meaning to ramble on but at times I wish my dad could see that the “generous” 1 ½ hours of internet access he’s allowing me some days can be a very short time indeed.
You and Kyle are making a good point, though. I feel it’s worth spending some more time on blog work because I enjoy it so much and it has become an important part of my life. Only I’m still working on the balance you found.

Ohhhhh baby yes!!!! Blogging takes up a lot of my life, but I also have a really busy life outside of blogging and I tend to get a tiny bit frazzled when I cannot comment on my fellow bloggers/friend’s blogs!!! I always want to, every second, but I cannot always get there – just like I am sure this happens to EVERYONE ELSE!! My bloglovin’ too is overflowing just like Christines’! I try so very hard to get everywhere but I am only one person – we are all just one person, unless we have blogging personal assistants… I have totally considered it – but I am such a PERFECTIONIST who would think the assistant isn’t doing it right, PLUS I am also very personal and want to comment on everyone’s blogs with my OWN VOICE!

That all being said, I FLIPPING LOVE BLOGGING AND VLOGGING!!! I will NEVER STOP – regardless as to what is going on in my life!!! Every Tuesday (and sometimes a random other day like last week) – I WILL BE POSTING!!!!! xoxo!

When you mentioned the personal assistant my immediate thought was that I’d miss your sassy comment voice like crazy. Unless you found a way to synchronize your unique and amazing way to that assistant [or give her very strict instructions] everybody would notice it was just a sad GiGi clone and not the REAL one 😉 . Good for you being a perfectionist and not trusting others to do the GiGi job just right – major relief!
And confession: I’m glad you mentioned Tuesday as your general posting day because I had yet to figure it out [think: impatiently checking your blog every other day waiting for a post ;)]. Never ever stop blogging! Can’t let any of us miss out on the weekly dose of GiGi 😀 .

Ha Ha! EXACTLY – I don’t need GiGi imposters in my life! LMFAO! And yes, I post every Tuesday, however, I also posted last Thursday evening because of the Cook-A-Long! I hope you join the next one, next Thursday!

Girl, do I ever understand where you’re coming from with this. On days when life kicks my butt and I feel like I can’t blog, that sense of both anxiety and guilt that I get is quite unsettling. I know that it means blogging is something I care about and that I love, so that’s a good thing, but I definitely have to remind myself to just life life too. I don’t read every blog that I’d ever want to, but I try to support those in my blog “community” as well as those who support me. I think that’s all we can do. We can’t be everywhere and do everything at the same time. NO ONE will fault you for changing up your schedule or not commenting every single day, you are so right. Props to you for writing this!

“that’s all we can do. We can’t be everywhere and do everything at the same time.” – this! It’s literally impossible to keep up whichever schedule when life itself doesn’t work according to any kind of schedule.
You said it well interpreting the guilt as a sign of us enjoying blogging so much instead of just seeing the anxiety. Because yes, that’s what it is: something we care about a lot.

Oh my…I completely understand and relate. I think we all do.
Time-management when it comes to blogging is really, really tough. If I was getting paid to do it full-time that would be one thing but, when it’s a hobby, I can’t justify spending hours a day doing it. On the other hand, I love it and refuse to give it up. It’s all about finding what works for us and that changes constantly. Some weeks you’ll have plenty of time for reading/writing/commenting and some weeks you won’t…Like you said, just live. (:

Thanks, Emily! You’re making a great point here: if I was paid for doing it I’d hardly feel guilty for both spending too much or too little time on blogging – the latter likely wouldn’t happen in anyway then. Finding what works for us individually is truly the best and only way to go about it.

Man I wish I had time to squeeze a few blogs in at the office; that would help tremendously and of course make me more productive in the long run. I’m sure of it. 😉
Just be. Let go of the guilt and do you. You hit the nail on the head when you said it was your own expectations. Sometimes, and I’ve learned this the hard way, you need to adjust those expectations, especially because your usually the only one who’s measuring yourself against them. Stay warm.

If only adjusting our own expectations was a breeze! There’s the constant notion of disappointing others if I can’t keep up in my head and it’s a stubborn little thought. Hope you and the cats snuggled up inside, too.

You bring up a GREAT point – no matter how frequent some of my favorite bloggers post, I almost always stop by for a read. That’s something I really need to remember…I haven’t blogged at all in 2014 yet, and have been feeling guilty about it. But really, if I’m enjoying my time, why should I feel bad?

Thanks for letting me know you can relate, Liv. Live life to the fullest and blog when you feel like it! There will always be people waiting and reading once you return. I’m happy to hear you’re having a great time!

I thought it was cute that you brung up Frosty the Snowman. So clever! 🙂

Aww sweetie, don’t let the weather ruin a perfectly exciting week. Make the best of it. It’s your week!

I can relate to you. With school and everything else going on, I had basically no time for reading others and commenting as I would like. I felt horrible, because I knew they’d hopefully appreciate a comment. I would set aside some time to come up with a post, and before I knew it, it was really late. I have found balance with my time now, because for 1) my accident (on my blog) has given me a lot of free time and 2) I make time for it because it makes me happy. Blogging has opened me up to new ideas and honestly, I always leave the website feeling better than before.

I know you’re probably used to a schedule, but it’s your blog. It’s a flexible thing you can control. Nobody should have expectations, because things happen.

I feel like I need to relax a bit as well. Thank you for this post. I love hearing your insights. 🙂

Yes, all of us will always appreciate every comment – but also understand and not judge if somebody can’t manage to comment on every post. I was the same as you trying to set aside time to catch up in the evenings but after several very late nights noticed things had to change. It’s still not easy for me to realize this but I’m working on it.
It makes me happy to hear about the positive impact blogging has been having on your life already!

So agree – “a little bit of blog reading in between working makes you more productive” FOR SURE 😉
Seriously, this is an awesome post – you make some very good points – I, too, will read and comment no matter what another bloggers schedule is, if I feel there is a genuine connection. I personally try and post maybe 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes more, sometimes less – but like you already said – life happens!

I wasn’t kidding when I said that 🙂 . Just a little bit of blog reading in between working relaxes me and gives me new motivation and inspiration.
Once I feel that connection to a blogger it really doesn’t matter how much time passes in between posts anyore. It’ll always be like catching up with a friend we simply haven’t seen in a while but can reconnect with in a matter of minutes.

I always adore reading your posts for two reasons; 1. There very well written & 2. There beautiful – just like you.

With that being said, I believe 99% of bloggers, especially new, go through this stage. At one point I felt horrible when I wasn’t able to comment on my favorite blogs on a daily basis. I thought that person would be upset, or hurt. It took a little bit for me to realize that we all have lives, and no one is going to judge me if I miss a post – or even two. As much as I love blogging, I feel it’s so important you still focus on living your life to the fullest.. even if that means taking a few days off from time to time

Awwwe, thanks, Jessie! You’re too sweet.
Commenting on a daily basis or every of their posts – at least on my favourite blogs – was one of the expectations I’d set for myself, too. But with my work schedule and current restricted internet access I had to let go of it – whether I wanted or not.
I couldn’t agree more on what you said about focusing on living life. What would we be able to blog about if all we did was blogging after all?

I try to stick to a schedule blogging-wise. But if for some reason I can’t that’s okay. The world won’t come to an end just because I didn’t publish a new post. Though I recently found a schedule that works for me there are still times when I only post once a week (hello, depression), but I learned to just go with it and get back to normal posting once I’m feeling better.

Ok so this is why I LOVE reading blogs/blogging..that whole relateable thing is such a huge comfort for me..and this post ❤ ! Due to limited internet access AND days where I feel like I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to live up to 'life' expectations, I can never find time to read-up and comment on the posts by all the amazing bloggers out there. And while I know since I'm unknown so to say it doesn't matter, I still feel like I'm sort of failing in that aspect. Your way of writing is just awesome..I enjoy starting my mornings with your post 🙂

Awwr, thanks, girl.
Being able to relate to others and talking about problems is one of the best parts of blogging for sure. Don’t ever feel like your comments didn’t matter ‘just’ because you’re a new blogger. I can say that I –do- notice and appreciate your comments and I’m convinced others feel the same way.

I needed this. I’ve been feeling AWFUL about not posting in my blog for the past couple of weeks. But when I think about it these past few weeks have been PACKED with friends and get-togethers–amongst other things! So you’re right…I shouldn’t feel guilty for living my life, because that always comes first. Plus…that just means my post will be all that much more interesting once I do get around to updating, right?

Don’t feel any pressure! No matter how often you’re updating your blog I won’t delete you from my reader anytime soon :). Never ever feel guilty for enjoying life and yes, it’s true that you’ll have even more to tell once you’re posting again!

I definitely experience the same feelings sometimes! During the school year it’s pretty much a given that I won;t be able to comment or be as active on blogs as I’d like. But certain things have to take priority over blogging and it’s just something I have to accept. Like you said, no one gets mad or upset! We just put the pressure on ourselves!

I can definitely relate to a lot of sentiments you expressed here, so let me just say this was an awesome post! I haven’t had this particular blog for very long (a little over 6 months) but I’ve been blogging since 2010 and have had several other blogs. All of them have had slightly different foci but this is one I really want to keep and expand. It’s tough though because soon after I started this blog, I went back to school and had a really packed schedule, so I barely had time to do anything for myself let alone spend a lot of time on posts. This semester, I’m taking fewer classes but am still full time and I also got a new job that is fun, but also takes up a lot of time. Still, I’m trying to find balance between quality writing and commenting. I still feel very new to this particular blog circle I’ve found myself in and sometimes that’s tough, but for the most part people have been wonderful. Hope you have an amazing week!

Thanks, Alex! I never knew you’d been around the blog world for that long. I think the fact alone that you’ve still kept up and managed to write some awesome posts despite a packed schedule shows your dedication to your current blog. I’ll keep reading no matter how often you post or manage to comment 🙂 .

its a normal feeling i think once you start blogging. I get bummed when i cant have 3 post/week. I read most of my posts on the phone and commenting is such a hassle – i normally dont 😦 but there are some posts that will speak to me and if I remember it later, I will come back and reply. XOXO

Well….umm, being as I was FOURTEEN posts behind on your lovely little blog before I clicked over here, I’d say yeah, you’re definitely not alone in all those feelings of guilt. And it doesn’t help matters any that I am the.slowest.reader.in.the.WORLD!!! 😦

There’s just not enough time in the day (or a week sometimes) to do all the things I want to do…and still take care of me. It’s something that I’ve been forced to accept over time. But I can still gripe about it!

Bloggers: Do you feel obliged to stick to a certain schedule with your posts [i.e.: days to post on, a certain number of recipe posts, …] or did you do in the past?
Yep – I try and post at *least* twice a week, but that’s my own personality taking over: I want to always have something to push me to do something more than just gawk at other people’s food: to contribute in my small way, as it were. BUT of course life isn’t always so easy and life and assignments and illness and everything gets in the way. I have over 100 drafts of different ideas and recipes lined up though, so that if I’m in a rut or crisis I have something to fall back on. I’d ideally like to post more regularly but yes, life!

How do you manage your blogging time in terms of writing posts and commenting?
I write snippets of posts here and there depending on the recipe – sometimes my recipes have been written out for ages and all I need to do is upload the photos and add some commentary for the day or about the dish – all in all it doesn’t take that much time because of planning. When it comes to commenting, however, I’m a big more reserved/lazy/time sensitive, because it can be a black hole! There are some people whose posts I usually comment on because I love their style and stuff, but for others when I see that 700 people have already commented before I have, it seems a bit redundant, and then I rather just share or tweet the post to show my appreciation in another way.

Either way, there’s no magic formula! When I was ill for the past two months I had SUCH guilt for not posting as regularly or not commenting on people’s stuff because I was too morose and listless. Other times I feel like I’m constantly spamming with silly recipes that don’t compare to those where people post one thing a week but it is uber magical, wonderfully crafted with a beautiful setting/background, and amazingly photographed. I think certain personalities are just wired to micromanage everything, even in hobbies and passions, and there’s a big danger into turning something you love into a chore – that’s when I know to take a step back for a week or two and then re-enter with more oomph.